Morning Workout

start your day on the right track

Rise and shine, my friend, because training in the morning definitely has its benefits. Let's start with the obvious ones.

First of all, training in the morning will free up the rest of your day, allowing you to focus on work and enjoy your evening activities.

By completing your workout early in the morning, you're also guaranteeing that you'll actually do it. My point is, after a long painful day at work, it's easier to make excuses or other plans in order to skip a workout. In the morning, your body and mind are fresh and ready to rock 'n' roll. Just remember that being disciplined is the key to staying fit, so start losing your snoozing habits.

As you may know, exercise increases mental acuity. By training in the morning, you'll wake up faster and be mentally alert at the crack of dawn. It'll also give you time to plan your day effectively before getting to work.

In addition, a good morning workout provides that rush of adrenaline and a sense of accomplishment that will stick with you throughout the day.

Finally, have you ever noticed how healthy you feel after a workout? And how you become turned off by greasy, unhealthy food? That said, training in the morning will force you to start watching what you eat from the first meal of the day. It will help regulate your appetite and set a "healthy mindset."

burn more fat

Enough fluff already. I know that all you really care about is whether morning training will help you shed pounds quicker. The answer is "yes," morning training has been proven efficient for weight loss.

The reason is simple: Training in the morning will help "jump-start" your metabolism and keep it elevated for up to 24 hours, thus burning more calories throughout the day.

Again, don't expect miracles. Training in the morning alone won't make you thin overnight. You'll need to carry out a good training routine, maintain a healthy, low-fat diet, and acquire good sleeping habits.

More specifically, the key to losing weight is to carry out a cardiovascular routine first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. If you're feeling a little weak, sip a small cup of black coffee or a glass of orange juice. It will help you get started.

say good-bye, blubber

Now, here's why cardio training in the morning is a great way to blast fat:

Your levels of muscle and liver glycogen (also called stored carbohydrates) are normally very low when you wake up first thing in the morning. With depleted glycogen and lower blood sugar, you'll give your body the perfect environment to burn fat instead of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates or glycogen are your body's primary and preferred source of energy. When they're low, your body will tap into your secondary energy reserve, which is your body fat. The idea here is similar to when the engine taps into the car's reserve tank because it's low on fuel.

Obviously, your body is way more complex than your car's gas tank. It always burns up a combination of carbohydrates and fat. However, the less carbohydrates you have, the more fat your body will burn.

Are you convinced yet? If so, great — but expect an adjustment period. The same way you're jet-lagged after an overseas trip or drowsy when you suddenly have to switch from the graveyard shift to a regular 9 to 5 shift, training in the morning will require some lag time.

Normally, it should take approximately three weeks for your body to fully adjust to the time change. You'll start feeling fully energized; you'll wake up more easily and will generally be more alert.

Now all you need is a louder alarm clock to help you get up those first few weeks. Before you know it, you'll be a lean, mean, morning machine. Good luck and keep on pumpin'.

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